FRESNO (KMj) — The City of Fresno will not be contributing to a legal defense fund for its undocumented residents facing federal deportation proceedings.
Fresno City Council’s decision came just after 9.30am Tuesday, during a crowded budget hearing.
“This motion was made because there is a tremendous need in our community,” began Councilmember Esmeralda Soria.
“I know that there are a number of folks that will say that it’s not within our role and not in our jurisdiction to address this issue. But we all know that since the presidential election there has been a lot of uncertainty and fear among our immigrant community.”
The District 1 representative considers the $200,000 requested from the City of Fresno’s budget to be a modest investment.
“[It will] help provide some seed funding and also leveraging other private dollars to be able to provide really critical legal services for folks that are here.”
The plan proposed by supporters would not only include money from the City of Fresno to create a legal defense fund, but also from private individuals, local businesses, philanthropic foundations, and other government organizations.
“For the record this would not be used for…protecting any criminals. So if someone is charged with domestic violence, or charged with a crime, we wouldn’t be defending them.”
Soria added that there is a lot of work ahead, and supporters of the motion should work hard to ensure Fresno is a welcoming city.
“On this issue, as Councilmember Soria mentioned in her opening comments, there has been a lot of fear since the election of our current president,” continued fellow Councilmember Steve Brandau.
“I think really this is more political than anything. I want to remind everybody that our last president deported more people than any president in U.S. history. This didn’t happen the last eight years but it’s happening now. So I think it’s strictly political. It’s probably part of a larger resistance movement.”
Councilmember Oliver Baines spoke next in support of the motion, followed by Councilmember Garry Bredefeld against.
The vote came in, and the screen behind the dais showed four against and two in support of the motion. Councilmember Luis Chavez abstained.
Outside the chamber, those in support of the legal defense fund declared that the battle will continue.
“This does not end here,” Faith in Fresno’s Leticia Valencia promised the crowd. “The legal defense fund is going to be created with or without the help of our council.
“We’re going to continue this fight and we are going to create a legal defense fund to continue to protect all of our families.”
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
